Dona Drake

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Dona Drake
Born	Eunice Westmoreland November 15, 1914(1914-11-15) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Died	June 20, 1989 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other name(s)	Rita Rio
Occupation	Actress, singer, dancer
Years active	1933–1977
Spouse(s)	William Travilla (1944-1989) (her death)

Dona Drake (November 15, 1914 – June 20, 1989) was a singer, dancer and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. She was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida, in 1914. Entering show business in the 1930s, she used the names Una Velon, Rita Rio and Rita Shaw. She settled on the stage name Dona Drake in the early 1940s. Studio publicity during her heyday incorrectly stated that Drake was of Mexican origin and was born Rita Novella. (Novella was actually her mother's first name.)

Because of her dark hair and Latin-looking features, Drake generally played Latin or other "ethnic" types. She is probably best known for playing the American Indian maid of Bette Davis in Beyond the Forest. She also appeared as an Arab girl opposite Bob Hope in Road to Morocco in 1942. Her biggest "non-ethnic" role was the second female lead in "The Girl from Jones Beach," playing opposite Eddie Bracken. She died in 1989.

Filmography

• The Lone Wolf as Lee (1 episode, 1955)
• Soldiers of Fortune as Cheu (1 episode, 1955)
• City Detective as Francesca (1 episode, 1954)
• Princess of the Nile (1954) as Mirva
• Adventures of Superman as Joyce (1 episode, 1953)
• Down Laredo Way (1953) as Narita
• Son of Belle Starr (1953) as Dolores
• The Bandits of Corsica (1953) as Zelda
• Kansas City Confidential (1952) as Teresa
• Valentino (1951) as Maria Torres
• Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950) s Pepita Maria Rosados
• Beyond the Forest (1949) as Jenny
• The Girl from Jones Beach (1949) as Connie Martin
• The Doolins of Oklahoma (1949) as Cattle Annie
• So This Is New York (1948) as Kate Goff
• Another Part of the Forest (1948) as Laurette Sincee
• Dangerous Millions (1946) as Elena Valdez
• Without Reservations (1946) as Dolores Ortega
• Hot Rhythm (1944) as Mary Adams
• Let's Face It (1943) as Muriel
• Salute for Three (1943) (as Dona Drake and Her Girl Band) as Dona Drake
• Road to Morocco (1942) as Mihirmah
• Louisiana Purchase (1941) as Beatrice
• Aloma of the South Seas (1941) as Nea
• Fresh as a Freshman (1941) (as Rita Rio)
• I Look at You (1941) (as Rita Rio)
• Rita Rio and Her Orchestra (as Rita Rio)
• Gals and Gallons (1939) (as Rita Rio) as Orchestra Leader
• Beautiful, But Dummies (1938) (as Rita Ray) as Model
• Sweet Shoe (1938) (as Rita Rio) as Rita Rio
• Strike Me Pink (1936) (as Rita Rio) as Mademoiselle Fifi
• Moonlight and Melody (1935) (as Rita Rio)

External links

• Dona Drake at Find a Grave
• Dona Drake at the Internet Movie Database
• Dona Drake at Allmovie
• Dona Drake at the TCM Movie Database

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